Climate Change Increasing Heavy Rain Events

With the warming of planet Earth, one of its affects is more moisture in the atmosphere and thus the greater risk for heavy precipitation events because more moisture is being evaporated into the atmosphere. According to Climate Central, “for every 1°F of warming, the saturation level is increased by about four percent.” The below map highlights each region’s percent change in heavy precipitation events across the United States based on the precipitation in the heaviest one percent of rainfall days.

Credit: Climate Central

Then we take a look at this next graphic, highlighting the annual one-plus inch rainfall days compared to average. Notice how the trend has been an increase in the number of these days, once again taking us back to the increasing occurrence of heavy rain and flooding. Climate Central claims that “the rain from Hurricane Harvey (2017) over Texas was about three times more likely and 15 percent more intense from climate change.”

Jackson is Head of Content at WeatherOptics and produces several forecasts and manages all social media platforms. Previously, Jackson forecasted local weather for southwestern Connecticut, founding his website, Jackson's Weather, in the March of 2015. He is currently studying Meteorology and Broadcast Journalism at the University of Miami.